French Lentil Soup With Sausage

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups lentils (preferably french green)
• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 ounces smoked sausage
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (to taste)

Recipe

• 1 heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
• 2 add carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 3 add lentils, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to moderate and cook, covered, until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
• 4 while lentils are cooking, heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown sausage on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• 5 cool sausage slightly on a cutting board, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. add sausage to soup and stir in vinegar.
• 6 original poster's notes: you may substitue chicken broth for water!